'Closure' of Fareham's Henry Cort school slammed as decision labelled cruel, unnecessary and devastating

Hampshire County Council approved (April 22) the relocation of Henry Cort College in Fareham to the new site in North Whiteley, although residents opposed the proposal.

In the second consultation, the council received 140 responses; eight were neutral, 28 were in support, and 104 objected.

One parent said that while there is a need for a secondary school in Whiteley, they added: “Please can we stop saying that travel times will be reduced for local children? This is inaccurate for any children who don’t live on the side of Whiteley where the new school is being built.”

The parent added that children near Whiteley Primary School and those in the Leafy Lane area will have up to a two-mile walk to the new school, in contrast to a “short” bus ride.

Their comment added: “Going to secondary school is a massive change for all children, but these children will have never visited or seen the school prior to making a decision to go there for the next 5 years of their education.”

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The county council said that the alternative to keep both schools would negatively impact education and the provision’s finances due to the high number of surplus places since government funding is related to the number of pupils enrolled.

After the decision was made, Fareham Lib Dem leader, Cllr David Hamilton, said that the decision is “cruel” and “unnecessary”. He went on to say that “forcing” children onto buses, “increasing family costs”, “damaging” the environment and “pulling a vital school out of one of the most deprived parts of our borough” is “indefensible.”

Cllr Hamilton said: “This is about more than buildings; it’s about the lifeblood of a community. Henry Cort has been a cornerstone for local children for years, and its closure will leave a gap that can’t simply be filled by a new building miles away. The Conservative-led council has chosen to ignore both logic and compassion.

“Fareham Liberal Democrats will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the community, pressing for real answers and for any future use of the Henry Cort site to deliver meaningful benefits for local people.”

Cllr Kirsten Wiltshire added that the decision was “devastating” since the school is an “anchor” for local families.

The Lib Dems said that while they fully support the new North Whiteley school, it should not be “at the cost” of closing an existing school.

At the select committee, county councillor Prat Baines referred to the proposal to relocate the school as a closure, which then was corrected by the chair, who said the discussion was not around the closure but the relocation.

Cabinet member for education, Cllr Steve Forster said that it was “disappointing” that a member said that a closure was the same as a relocation.

Cllr Forster said: “The school, the governors and the teachers want this to occur. A new school is going to be really desirable.

“The needs of residents have been taken into account. Many of the issues raised through the initial and second consultations have been addressed.”

In 2023, Ofsted rated The Henry Cort Community College as ‘requires improvement’ and said it had 851 pupils.